The present invention relates to dispenser packages. More particularly, the present invention relates to hand-held candy dispenser packages.
Various designs for candy dispenser packages are known in the prior art. They range from simple paper boxes to more elaborate plastic containers with hinges or flaps to dispense the candy. Some prior art candy dispensers include means to reseal the package to maintain the freshness of any unused candy. The design of candy packages must meet the needs of the manufacturer and the consumer.
A consideration in designing candy packages is ease of manufacture. More elaborate designs typically require more components to be produced and then assembled. This adds to the cost of materials, the cost of tooling and the time that it takes to manufacture and assemble the product. Ultimately, complicated candy dispenser packages increase the price of the final product. Thus, simpler designs are preferred to reduce the manufacturing time and cost.
Another manufacturing concern is the ease of which the package is filled. It is preferred to have a package design that can easily be filled with the product and then sealed to be ready for shipment. Prior art packages typically require complicated machinery to fill such packages with candy. The more steps required to fill the package also add to the cost of production.
From the consumer""s perspective, ease of operation and attractiveness are important considerations in designing candy packages. For instance, it is preferable to have a package that can be easily opened with one hand. It is also preferable for the consumer to be able to easily reseal the package after removing a desired quantity of candy to maintain the freshness of the candy remaining in the package.
Another consideration is the ability for the consumer to be able to select the size of an access opening to the product. This will allow for the selective removal of a small or large quantity of candy. In prior art packages, the opening provided by the manufacturer is often too small or too large. Thus, the candy product either clogs the opening making it difficult to remove or comes out too fast.
Another consideration is the durability of the package. Frequently, candy packages are pushed into pants pockets or in a purse and are subjected to rigorous flexing and prolonged contact with other items. Less durable candy packages often fail and expose the candy to elements outside the package such as dirt or lint, etc.
While the market is filled with various candy package designs, there remains a need for a design that incorporates the foregoing needs of the manufacturer and consumer.
The present invention addresses these needs as follows.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a dispenser package comprising a housing defining a chamber for holding dispensable objects; the housing includes opposing side walls and an open section through which the dispensable objects can be placed into and removed from the chamber: A lid is arranged on the housing for selectively opening and closing access to the chamber through the open section in the housing. The lid is preferably secured to the side walls of the housing and is rotatable about an axis of rotation between an open position where the dispensable objects can be removed from the chamber and a closed position where the dispensable objects cannot be removed from the chamber.
Preferably, the a lid of the dispenser package is partially cylindrical. The lid may have an arcuate top section extending between at least one pair of opposing side walls. It is also preferable for at least one pair of the side walls of the lid and the housing to include pins extending along the axis of rotation, and the other pair of opposing side walls of the lid and the housing to include an aperture in which corresponding ones of the pins are arranged.
More preferably, the pins extend inwardly along the axis of rotation from the pair of opposing side walls of the lid. In this preferred embodiment, the housing includes apertures in the side walls in which corresponding ones of the pins are arranged.
It is also preferred that the arcuate top section of the dispenser package includes a surface that extends less than 360xc2x0 about the axis of rotation. It is also preferred that the dispenser is sized to be hand-held.
Preferably, the dispenser lid has a projection and the top section of the housing includes a ledge, where the projection and ledge collectively act as a stop to limit the rotation of the lid in the fully open position. It is also preferable that the lid of the dispenser includes a handle used for rotating the lid between the open and closed positions. In another preferred embodiment, the dispenser package is a candy dispenser and the dispensable objects are solid pieces of candy.
In yet another preferred embodiment, the lids of the candy dispenser has a substantially cylindrical shell configuration including an arcuate top section having a surface that defines a perimeter and extends less than 360xc2x0 around the axis of rotation. The top section of the lid also includes an open area that extends around the remainder of the 360xc2x0 perimeter. It can be said that the open area of the top section is notched out in order to provide an advantageous dispensing port.
It is preferable for the lid of the candy dispenser to comprise opposing side walls and to have support members connected between the arcuate top section and corresponding ones of the opposing side walls. Most preferably, the candy dispenser is sized to be hand-held and where the lid has a projection and the top section of the housing includes a ledge collectively acting as a stop to limit the rotation of the lid in a fully open position.